


It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye

by AncientCovenants



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: College, Graduation, Joining the Military, Senior!Magnus, Sophomore!Alec, Sophomore!Izzy, drama club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 16:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17984891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AncientCovenants/pseuds/AncientCovenants
Summary: They'd only met and they were already saying goodbye.





	It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so two things:
> 
> 1) It was all Izzy's fault. She wanted to join the drama club but didn't want to go alone so she roped Alec into it. (She didn't hear any complaints after that first meeting though...) Also, she skipped ahead two years of schooling so she and Alec are both college sophomores even though she's two years younger.
> 
> 2) Mama and Papa Lightwood travel a lot because of work. They were in Mumbai for a while and Max was going to an international school called the Mumbai Institute. Since Max is only a year away from graduation, he's boarding at the Institute for his final year, while his parents move to San Francisco.
> 
> Also, I haven't had the time to practice writing in a while. So I'm... rusty? Guess that's a good word for it. Also, messing around with formatting because I haven't done so in a while. That being said, please feel free to leave me any constructive criticism in a review!
> 
> (Be brutal, it helps!)

“All right, folks! We’ve only got three meetings left until the end of the year. Now that includes this one, so let’s end the year on a good note.”

“Funny, I thought this was drama, not chorus.”

A few groans came from his side of the room as several drama club members voiced their displeasure at his sub-par pun.

Whatever. He thought it was funny, if not his best work.

And then he heard the strangest sound.

It was a _sniggle._

That was a word, right?

What else would you call a soft _snort_ followed by the short _giggle?_

But, oh, he hadn’t known Adonis could make a sound like that.

Normally he was a fan of black hair and blue eyes but, really, any light-colored eyes made him swoon.

He was past swooning. The lovely creature that had sniggled had eyes the color of soft sand.

He melted.

“Moving on! We have two new guests today that are hoping to join our little family. Better late than never, huh? This is Isabelle and Alec Lightwood.”

Well, hello, gorgeous.

“We’ll start with ‘mirroring’. Everybody grab a partner, stand facing each other.”

“I pick the pretty one.”

The sister, as one could safely assume, stepped forward. The lovely creature stood rooted to the spot, looking out of place.

“Not you. You.”

He pointed to her brother and she smiled, not at all disappointed that she hadn’t been the “pretty one”.

_He,_ on the other hand, had a look that was a mix of pleased and deer-caught-in-headlights.

It was endearing.

* * *

They didn’t actually speak that day.

Mirroring had been done in silence so that clues wouldn’t be given in anything other than body language. Then, they had swapped partners for the next few activities.

And if their eyes happened to drift back to one another during the time, well, that was no one’s business but their own.

* * *

They didn’t actually speak at the next meeting either. Magnus had been running late and everyone had already been partnered up so he ended up with their club president.

* * *

The last day of drama club for the year was bittersweet. They had a party, as was customary, and the seniors mingled and said their goodbyes, leaving words of advice to the freshmen who, starting the next school year, would officially be joining the ranks as fully-fledged members.

Magnus had a brief conversation with Alec about nothing in particular over by the drinks. Alec wasn’t a fan of soft drinks or fruit juices.

“They taste artificial,” he stated, scrunching his nose in displeasure. It was added to the endearing pile. “Besides, all that sugar just makes you thirstier.”

Magnus smirked. Alec blinked. Magnus grinned and raised an eyebrow. Alec’s brain finally caught the double entendre and he blushed so prettily.

Magnus doubled over with laughter. Alec smiled in relief and started laughing himself.

Then Magnus was pulled away. Advice to give. To freshmen. Not pretty sophomores, even if they had only just joined the club.

* * *

It was the day before graduation.

He had to get some air.

Everyone already knew what they wanted to do with their lives. He still wasn’t sure.

Tomorrow he would have a liberal arts degree.

He liked helping people.

How did the two… _mesh?_

He opened the door to the roof. Someone was already on the edge, hands bracing against the ledge, top half leaning over to look out below.

“Don’t do it.”

Alec turned around.

“I wasn’t… I just come up here to think sometimes.”

“Ah… people watching.”

“It helps. Sometimes.”

“Yeah.”

Magnus drifted over to the ledge and sat on it.

“Why are you here?”

“Same.”

Alec joined him.

“Big day tomorrow,” he scoffed. “I’m graduating.”

“That’s good?” Alec looked like he felt: unsure.

“I guess. Yay, I’m done with school…” _Now what?_

“You don’t have to have a plan, sometimes life has one for you. You just have to trust that it’s the right one.”

Trust.

One word.

Five letters.

Not so easy to practice.

Too deep. Too soon.

Change subject.

“Do you have a plan?”

“I’m joining the armed forces.”

That was… random. Absurd, really. He should laugh. But—

“Which one?”

“Whichever gives me the best deal.”

Oh.

Serious.

“My parents never planned on Izzy being a genius and going to college so soon. And Max is boarding since it’s his last year at the Institute. It’s just too much.” He sighed. “Joining the military will help take some of the burden off. My grades are good enough for a scholarship…”

Alec.

War.

Shooting.

Danger.

Bombs.

No.

“And you’d be okay with that? If, after you graduate, they ship you off to active duty?”

“If it helps my family…”

_No!_

How would that help  _anyone's_ family?

Losing someone they love?

_Potentially_ losing someone they love—because it

_‘Will._

_‘Not._

_‘Happen._

_‘(Not to him.)’_

_'_ “And besides, I like helping people. And I’m strong. If I can take a blow meant for someone else, don’t I have that responsibility?”

_‘No, you don’t.’_

But—

_‘Wouldn’t you do the same?’_

He swallowed. His throat was dry.

“It sounds like a plan.”

“Yeah, it does.” He huffed out a laugh. “And here I am telling you not to stress, that ‘the universe will take its course’.”

“Sometimes it’s good to have a plan.”

And he obviously had one.

Was he supposed to breathe? Breathing was _hard._

He couldn’t stay here.

Door… door  _now._

“Just… promise me one thing?”

“Anything.”

_‘Don’t go.’_

“That you’ll plan on coming back.”

**Author's Note:**

> I, in no way, mean to be negative about joining the military. I fully commend and support our armed forces. I even thought about joining after high school (I have issues with my knees and lungs though and, when I collapsed after only ten rounds of the PACER test, I knew I was not going to make it past basic training).
> 
> However, Magnus is already confused and worried about the future (in general) so getting the news that someone he knows is enlisting—is a shock. Too much to deal with, so he doesn't.
> 
> Anyway, feel free to leave a review!
> 
> P.S. This is a one-shot but I'm open to making it a multi-chapter fic. Not sure yet, though...


End file.
